As you can check out yourself in the little description about me on this very website, the movie that made me fall in love with horror as a genre was George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. However, this is not the first thing that can be considered as somewhat part of the genre that I became obsessed with.

When I was younger, I used to watch a lot of television. This is very ironic, considering that these days I don’t even own a television—and I am not looking forward to it. However, when I used to spend most of the day at school, I would come back home in the evening and watch television until it was time for me to go to bed and repeat the same routine all over again the following day. This is how I ended up watching most of the shows that would turn me into the big comic book nerd I am today, but this is also how I ended up watching one of the best shows I have ever watched in my entire life, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And yes, this is a completely biased opinion, but there are not a lot of things in this world that I carry as close to my heart as Buffy. Definitely not perfect, but way ahead of its time, I feel like everyone should watch the entire thing at least once in their lives—or, if you are as enthusiastic about it as me, you can even watch it from beginning to end about six times. However, and as much as I enjoy rewatching this show as if it was the first time in my life, when I was done watching Buffy, I felt like something was missing.

And this is how Supernatural came into my life.

Even though Buffy ended in 2003 and it wasn’t until 2005 that Supernatural aired for the first time, this show has always felt like the true successor of what Joss Whedon created with his Slayer. Perhaps the formula doesn’t feel as fresh as it did with Buffy, since in this case we don’t have a badass woman and a group of weird outcasts but two too-handsome-to-be-true brothers. However, there is definitely something about Sam, Dean and their story that make Supernatural a damn special show—and a lot has been said and done about it, believe me, since the SPN family is perhaps one of the most enthusiastic fandoms in the entire planet. But maybe I’m getting too ahead of myself.

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Supernatural, with its fifteen seasons, is The CW’s longest-running show and the longest-running sci-fi show in the history of American television (also, the last remaining show of The CW’s predecessor, The WB). Though it is not done yet, the series finale will air later on this year—hopefully, since it’s been pushed back already due to the pandemic. As you can see, it is not an easy task to sit down and talk about this show in a comprehensible manner—mainly because there are times when not even the show itself makes sense—, but I’ve been passionate enough about it since I got hooked for the first time in 2010 to, at least, try. It is a long ride, but it is really worth it—most of the time, anyways, you’ll see what I mean.

I decided to make this a series where I will try to tell you the best—and probably the worst, too—of each season, since this will probably get too long if I just go on and tell you about more than fifteen years of television history in just one sitting. Furthermore, I strongly believe that you can’t really explain what makes Supernatural so special if you just compress fifteen seasons in just one short love letter to this bizarre, yet full of heart, show.

Supernatural changed lives, achieved what seemed impossible for a TV show on and off screen and came to stay what seemed forever—but that, unfortunately, got cut too short. I will always find a little bit of myself in Dean, but also in Sam—damn, even in Bobby and Castiel. As Lynn S. Zubernis beautifully says in the introduction of one of my all time favourite books, Family Don’t End With Blood: Cast And Fans On How Supernatural Has Changed Lives (Smart Pop, 2017)—a collection of essays about what the subtitle of the book already explains:

“When we think of the sorts of things that help people change for the better, we might imagine that perfect self-help book that contains the heretofore well-kept secret to happiness. [...] Most of us don’t think of a television show as something that helps people change for the better. I certainly didn’t. [...]

[However, Supernatural, besides being a scary show about monsters and the apocalypse], it’s also a surprisingly emotional show about love and family and the need to always keep fighting no matter the odds. The combination has brought Supernatural unexpected and enduring popularity”.

Unexpected and enduring love and loyalty, too.

So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

The first season of Supernatural has 22 episodes that aired between 2005 and 2006. It starts with a pilot episode where we get to know the Winchesters right off the bat. More precisely, what happened to them that fateful night in Lawrence, Kansas on November 2nd, 1983. Watching the opening scene of Supernatural feels like watching the origin of a legend, especially when we finally get to see Mary Winchester, Sam and Dean’s mom, burning on the ceiling of the nursery where they kept baby Sam. Mary had come into the room after hearing Sam crying, only to find a mysterious man standing in front of Sam’s cot, though at first glance she thinks it’s her husband, John. However, John is downstairs, fast asleep in front of the TV. She runs back to Sam’s room, and this is when a scream will take us to that scene you will never be able to forget—and if you do, the show will make sure you won’t, don’t worry. John manages to take Sam and Dean out of the house while it burns down, but Mary dies in the flames.

Mary, Dean and John Winchester during the pilot episode.

Next thing we see, we are now in Stanford, present day. Sam Winchester has grown up to become an intelligent young man who has joined college to study Law. We see him at a Halloween party with his girlfriend, Jessica. We also learn that he is not close to his family anymore, which of course will be central to the story that is about to unfold…

Even when the first monster we get to see in Supernatural is rather cliché and definitely not one of my favourite ones, the way this first episode works as an introduction to the whole story and leaves you hungry for more is incredible. And if you don’t fall in love with Dean Winchester the very moment you see him, and not only because he is just stunning, I am judging you. I think that you are either a Sam person or a Dean person—or a Castiel person, if you are watching from season 4 onwards, and though I definitely fall into that category, I will pretend for the sake of my point that I don’t—and I most surely would take Dean any day over Sam, especially considering the amazing character development you will see on him as seasons go on. I’m not saying Sam doesn’t change, but Dean has broken my heart way too many times not to have a softer spot for him.

But as I was saying: the monster. The first seasons of Supernatural are really interesting in terms of monsters. Something you have to keep in mind when watching the show is that there is a bigger story that stretches throughout the whole season, and then there are the “filler” episodes, also known as the “Monster of the Week” episodes, since they introduce many different types of monsters that Sam and Dean have to fight encapsulated in their own little stories. The first seasons are rather interesting because they are more focused on monsters from folklore and urban legends—i.e., the Woman in White, the first contact we have with the supernatural in Supernatural—, and the writers were more worried about the “spooky factor” than they are later on. I would also like you to keep in mind that this is a show from the early ‘2000s, so you will see a lot of whack visual effects that might not be as scary or impressive for the 2020 viewer. I personally really like them, since they create a very specific atmosphere that ends up feeling rather charming.

The cliffhanger from the first episode takes us straight to “Wendigo”, a fan favourite episode where Sam and Dean, now together again due to the circumstances presented in the previous episode follow John Winchester’s journal and get to Colorado, where they pose as park rangers to investigate the disappearances that have been happening in the area. To explain what I mean with “the circumstances from the previous episode”: besides that very remarkable thing that happens at the very end, Dean shows up again in Sam’s life because their father, John, who has become obsessed with hunting the creature that killed their mom all those years ago, has disappeared.

You will hear a lot of fans quoting that “dad’s on a hunting trip, and he hasn’t been home in a few days” as the genesis of the story—believe me, it is embedded in our brains. As a fun fact, you will see a pre-Glee Cory Monteith in this second episode, and also a pre-Solo Alden Ehrenreich. The creature of the episode is not a surprise to the viewer—a wendigo, duh—but it succeeds at being way scarier than its predecessor from the pilot episode—in general, I personally enjoy this episode so much more. Fun fact: the physical appearance of the wendigo was inspired by the creature featured in Aphex Twin’s “Come to Daddy”, but you can barely see it throughout the episode because Eric Kripke, the creator of the show, was not too pleased with the final product.

From this point onwards, you become familiar with the structure of the episodes: Sam and Dean arrive somewhere in their father’s car, a 1967 Chevrolet Impala that Dean lovingly refers to as “Baby”, they investigate some strange murders or disappearances that they believe have something to do with a monster or creature, and they find and kill the creature. For some reason, there is a lot of kissing and flirting involved in all these episodes, too. I mean, not only is Dean your Han Solo-type of dude who likes to flirt with all the girls, but both Sam and Dean are probably the most attractive men any of those girls have ever seen. And c’mon, this is a The WB/The CW show.

“Wendigo” is followed by “Dead in the Water”, an episode, located in Wisconsin this time, about an avenging spirit that makes people disappear in the water. This episode was directed by the late Kim Manners, who most people know for his work on The X-Files, though he was also one of the biggest names behind Supernatural until his death in 2009. Even when they have the same pattern as the previous one, both “Dead in the Water” and “Phantom Traveler” and “Bloody Mary”—this last one with a story written by Eric Kripke—are still as entertaining, spooky and fun as if you have never watched anything like it. If you don’t enjoy the show up until this point, at least you gotta give it that.

A personal favourite from the season—one of them, anyways—is “Skin”. Even if it still follows the already mentioned pattern of the “Monster of the Week” episodes, it introduces one of my favourite recurring monsters of the show: the shapeshifters. Even when the rules of what they can and can’t do change ever so slightly throughout the show, they are some of the most interesting creatures that you will see in Supernatural, perhaps because there is still some humanity left in them, which makes them even more dangerous and scary. Not only that, but this episode also offers some more insight on Sam’s college past right before Dean came back into his life to drag him back to the hunting gig—”saving people, hunting things: the family business”.

A shapeshifter with Dean’s appearance, from “Skin”.

It is almost disappointing that the two episodes that follow, “Hook Man” and “Bugs”—considered by some one of the worst episodes in the entire show—are not that great in comparison. However, “Home”, the ninth episode of the season, is also one of the strongest ones. Written once again by Eric Kripke, we return to Lawrence, Kansas.

Sam has been having some nightmares involving a young mother who lives in Sam and Dean’s childhood home—I always wondered how much was left of the original house anyways, since it burned down the night Mary died, but they never give any information on that. Even when this is one of those emotional episodes that will definitely make you grow even closer to Sam and Dean and that make the “bigger” plot of the season move a little bit forward, the best thing about this episode for me is, undoubtedly, Missouri Mosley, a psychic who is an old friend of John Winchester and that comes to Sam and Dean’s rescue when they ask her to help them decipher what’s happening in the house. Such a charismatic and unforgettable character. Trust me, you will love her.

From here, we move to “Asylum”, another super cool “Monster of the Week” episode, and “Scarecrow”, which I should mention since this is the episode that introduces us to Meg Masters, a recurring character that will be so much more important later on. Even though she seems to be an innocent hitchhiker at first, when she meets Sam on the road after he decides to part ways with Dean, we see her slit a driver’s throat at the end of the episode, collecting the blood to summon a creature that she refers to as ‘father’. Yikes. Another thing worth-commenting on about this episode is the fact that the writers themselves mark “Scarecrow” as the real beginning of the “mythology” of the show. Meg’s introduction is not arbitrary. According to Kim Manners, this is what the show so “desperately needed”. If you are interested, you need to keep watching to know why.

The twelfth episode of the season, “Faith”, is yet another favourite of mine—and not only because one of the main characters is played by Julie Benz, who you probably know from both Buffy and Angel as Darla. In this episode, Dean gets electrocuted and his heart is severely damaged, to the point that he is only given a few weeks left to live. Determined to save his brother, Sam looks for a way to save him, and he ends up finding a preacher who is said to be able to heal even what seems incurable, but only if you are chosen. Thankfully, when they get there, Dean is chosen and cured of his condition. Something else happens, though: someone else dies at the exact same moment. This will lead the brothers to investigate what is actually happening at the congregation. I promise I am still determined to keep the spoilers at bay, so get excited about this one and what you will see.

As much as people tend to say “Bugs” is the worst episode of the season, my least favourite is, undoubtedly, “Route 666”. I will not even explain a lot about it. If the term ‘racist truck’ doesn’t tell you how bad I think it is, then I don’t know what else to tell you. However, “Nightmare”, the episode that follows, is super good, mainly because we get to learn new things that will be central in the bigger picture of the show—and not only this season! I think I should insist at this point that Sam has premonitions, which of course are not something that people can just do. He tries to hide them, which will be a constant source of conflict between him and Dean, but sometimes they also force them to help someone who seems in distress. In “Nightmare”, though, we learn that he is not the only one with ‘powers’. Again, trying not to give too much away, I will just tell you that this will be important later on, so you should keep it in mind.

“The Benders”, episode 15 of the season, stands out from the rest because it introduces us to a rather interesting concept—and something the Winchesters have never faced before: the worst monsters are human. That is something that has always fascinated me about the monsters and creatures in Supernatural, whether good or bad: it is their most human traits that makes them more dangerous or definitely defeats them. Perhaps it is not as fresh as I feel it is, but they definitely do it in a way that makes you stop and think about it for a second, which perhaps you have never done before. I also really appreciate the way this season settles the foundations of what it will be for at least another ten more seasons.

The “monsters” in the episode “The Benders”.

“The Benders” is followed by “Shadow”, an episode directed by Kim Manners and written by Erick Kripke—what I like to call a combo breaker. The “Monster of the Week” in this occasion is a daeva, which I must say, it could easily be your main horror movie creature. So spooky. In this episode, we also find Meg Masters yet again, finally revealing her true nature to the brothers. Not only that, but we also get to see John Winchester again—though not for long. Overall, a really good episode.

From here we move straight to “Hell House”, a really fun episode where we get to meet Ed Zeddmore and Harry Spengler, who will later on be known by everyone in the fandom as the leaders of the “Ghostfacers”—and they even have their own web series. They are a couple of aficionado paranormal investigators that are perhaps one of the few recurring characters in the show that have never died. Personally, I find them hilarious—and it is no exception in this episode, even if I don’t usually like the “filler” episodes this close to the season finale. Keep your eyes peeled to see them in future episodes.

“Hell House” is followed by “Something Wicked” and “Provenance”, two episodes that, even though are still not focused on the main plot of the season, I enjoy very much and wouldn’t change for the world—especially “Provenance”. They offer interesting plots and monsters, pure comedy and even a little bit—more—of romance.

“Dead Man’s Body” is a bit of an interesting choice from the writers of the show. Even though it is no secret that they had been actively avoiding any similarities with Buffy up to this point for obvious reasons, “Dead Man’s Body” deals with a group of vampires that not only have a plot of their own, but that they will also add to the main plot of the season by being the ones who introduce the Colt, a rather important object in the mythology of Supernatural—as well as a crucial weapon in John Winchester’s crusade. I must admit that I am glad they decided to include vampires in the show, and not only because of my own personal fascination with said creatures: if you are going to make a show about the supernatural, starting from urban legends and mythology, you can’t just ignore the existence of vampires. And they are definitely different enough from Buffy’s vampires for you not to have that in mind when watching the show.

As for the Colt, what we learn about it is that it is a mystical gun capable of killing anything. Of course, the introduction of such a powerful item is remarkable, especially when the episode ends with John Winchester retrieving the gun and accepting that the Winchesters are more powerful when together. This is when John finally allows his sons to help him with his ultimate mission: kill Azazel, the demon he’s learned was behind what happened to Mary Winchester.

“Salvation” and “Devil’s Trap” are the two last episodes of the season. Both of them are filled with the bigger names in the show, from Eric Kripke himself to Kim Manners, Sera Gamble and Robert Singer—this name will become very familiar to you very soon. In my humble opinion, the end of the first season of Supernatural can only be described as brilliant. If only the show kept the quality to this level, it would seriously be one of the best quality horror shows ever made. However, even with its fantastic ups, Supernatural also has very low lows. But I am getting too ahead of myself, since, thankfully, we are still far from those.

“Salvation” opens with a summary of what’s been happening throughout the season—”THE ROAD SO FAR”, always accompanied by Kansas’ “Carry On My Wayward Son”, the unofficial anthem of the show. Instead of considering “Salvation” and “Devil’s Trap” as two separate episodes, think of it as a two-part season finale. I will keep it even shorter than usual, but I would like to give you a taste of what happens anyways: once again, and even though John’s goal is to get to Azazel, we find Meg Masters as the main antagonist. She will try to attack the Winchesters’ friends so they surrender and give her the Colt, to the point John agrees to her demands.

However, John tries to trick her with a fake Colt and ends up being captured. Sam and Dean learn about this the moment they call their father and Meg answers instead. The brothers then seek help from Bobby Singer—yes, as the director I have just mentioned. Bobby is an old friend of the family and a fellow hunter known in town as the old drunk who owns the scrapyard, but he will become a key character in the show and perhaps the true father figure Sam and Dean were deprived of because of John’s obsessions. They will try to exorcise Meg, since she is but a demon possessing some girl who should’ve died during one of their encounters, but before they get rid of the demon and allow the real Meg to finally die, they get a clue regarding their father’s whereabouts. Thus, Sam and Dean end up in Jefferson City, Missouri.

I think I am not exaggerating when I tell you that this is definitely my favourite part of the entire season. The last part of the last episode has it all: strong family drama, demons, supernatural forces and a mystical weapon, as well as a good old cliffhanger that I am sure it wrecked a lot of nerves back in the day, having to wait for months to know what happened. The ending of “Devil’s Trap” is one for the books, and it just works perfectly as an opener for the second season of the show, definitely one of the best ones in the entire thing. But that will be another story for another time, since I have most definitely said way too much. If you’ve ever watched this show, I’m sure you know what I mean. If you haven’t, I hope this made you curious enough to give it a try.

Stay tuned for the Season Two deep dive coming soon!

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Written by Ness

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